T-Mobile announces new $79.99 Unlimited* Plan

This morning T-Mobile announced a new $79.99 all inclusive plan that covers unlimited calling, texting and data. As data speeds get faster, we've seen some of the wireless carriers attempting to abandon unlimited plans, so this is a good thing, right? There is one big caveat to this new "unlimited" plan, however: consumers exceeding 2GB of data will see their data rates slowed down until their new billing cycle starts. That's where that big asterisk in the headline comes in. According to T-Mobile's internal stats, customers on average only use 1GB of data per month. These stats are factoring in all users, but what about the power users that stream video/audio or download large amounts of files that is easier to do over their HSPA+ network?

It's a good thing that they won't be absurd overage fees, but how slow will speeds get if you exceed 2GB? It's going to have to be trial and error for the time being. It looks like we'll be seeing more of Dan Hesse criticizing these kind of plans for appearing unlimited when in fact they're not. Full press release after the break.

T-Mobile Introduces New Unlimited Data, Calling andTexting Plan for Only $79.99 Per MonthNew lower-priced unlimited plan with no overage charges makes wireless more affordable to more people on America’s Largest 4G Network

BELLEVUE, Wash. — April 13, 2011 — T-Mobile USA, Inc. today announced that a new, single-line unlimited plan is available for just $79.99 per month, with an Even More™ plan and a two-year contract. The new plan offers great value for new and existing customers with unlimited nationwide calling, texting and data – with no overage charges – on America’s Largest 4G Network™.

“Consumers today are looking for even more value and flexibility from their wireless plans,” said John Clelland, senior vice president, marketing, T-Mobile USA. “While data plans for many of our competitors continue to be very expensive, T-Mobile is lowering the price of our unlimited plan and offering more options, making it easier than ever for customers to step up to a richer mobile data experience on our 4G network.”

Combined with an extensive lineup of affordable smartphones, T-Mobile’s new Even More unlimited plan allows customers to save more than $350 per year on an unlimited smartphone plan, compared to similar plans from AT&T, Verizon and Sprint1. Additionally, T-Mobile customers continue to receive high-quality 4G experiences where they live, work, and play – America’s Largest 4G Network™ now reaches 167 markets and more than 200 million people nationwide.

In contrast to some competing offerings, T-Mobile’s new Even More unlimited plan enables customers to use mobile data on their smartphones without incurring any overage charges. Consumers exceeding 2GB of usage in a billing month will still have access to unlimited data at reduced speeds until their new billing cycle starts. On average, T-Mobile 4G smartphone customers consume about 1GB of data per billing month.

In addition to its unlimited plans, T-Mobile continues to offer one of the industry’s most affordable entry-level data plans, starting at just $10 for 200 MB per billing month. The company also strives to help customers on these data plans avoid surprise bills with SMS alerts when they are reaching their data limit.

The new $79.99 Even More unlimited plan is available now for qualifying customers. To find the T-Mobile plan that best fits their needs, customers can visit http://www.t-mobile.com.

T-Mobile’s HSPA+ 4G network not available everywhere. See coverage details at T-Mobile.com.

1 Based on comparison against comparable post-paid plans for smartphones from AT&T, Verizon and Sprint; does not include taxes and fees or cost of phone. Plan features and limitations may vary. Data as of March 2011.

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About T-Mobile USA, Inc.Based in Bellevue, Wash., T-Mobile USA, Inc. is the U.S. wireless operation of Deutsche Telekom AG. By the end of the fourth quarter of 2010, approximately 130 million mobile customers were served by the mobile communication segments of the Deutsche Telekom group — 33.7 million by T-Mobile USA — all via GSM and UMTS, the world’s most widely-used digital wireless standards. Today, T-Mobile operates America's largest 4G network, and is delivering a compelling 4G experience across a broad lineup of leading devices in more places than competing 4G services. T-Mobile USA’s innovative wireless products and services empower and enable people to stay connected and productive while mobile. Multiple independent research studies continue to rank T-Mobile USA as a leader in customer care and customer satisfaction. For more information, please visit http://www.T-Mobile.com. T-Mobile is a federally registered trademark of Deutsche Telekom AG. For further information on Deutsche Telekom, please visit www.telekom.de/investor-relations.

For more information about T-Mobile’s 4G products, please visit http://www.t-mobile.com.